Unheard Warriors
by Professor Balorjey
Summary: Third installment of the Jedi of Yamaran. Grey and Lea discover a cloning facility under attack, and its survivors are less than thrilled to take it back. Better than it sounds. Trust me.
1. Chapter 1

**Jedi Lea Balorjey and Commander Grey are on their way to his homeworld, Kamino, to the abandoned city! The cloning city Orahu has been attacked by the Separatists! Soldiers Cuff, Pluck, and Beck received orders to bring the news to Orahu clone Commander Grey and Jedi Lea Balorjey. Our heroes rush to the aid of his brothers, fearing the worst…**


	2. Chapter 1: Hero and the Survivors

"We're on our way back home," said Pluck, smiling.

Beck nodded, certainly not as lighthearted as his brother.

Grey couldn't actually smile in his state of worry. He was born and raised on Orahu instead of the standard Tipoca clone, so the small elevated city was of personal value to him and a few of his brothers in the 618th.

Lea heard the crash of thunder before she saw it all. Heavy rainfall attacked the sides of the ship, pelting the open areas and drenching the Jedi and her legion. She shivered drastically.

Grey noticed it. Oddly enough, the chill of the stormy weather never got to him. He smiled slightly, but shook it off, returning to his hard and concerned expression.

The gunship touched down on one pristine white landing pad, the troops unboarding.

Commander Hero ran to greet them, a batch of rag-tag soldiers coming behind.

"Good to see some Orahu faces," said Hero, nodding to Grey. "We saved who we could. Almost no cloners got out of that heat alive."

Grey frowned, looking hurt in every way. "This is the surviving party?"

The five behind the commander looked down at their boots as Hero nodded. "Said they survived the heat. Didn't survive the next wave. Meet Eastside, Cock, Tailwind, Drum, and Jabberwocky."

"You were picked off like that?" whispered Lea. "That's horrible!"

"We're strong enough to take it, General," said Hero halfheartedly. "Consider this... sifting through the rough ends."

Grey followed Hero and the batch, the three troopers who came with them tailing behind Lea, who caught up with her commander.

"He doesn't really believe that?" she whispered to him.

Grey shook his head. "Hero's our optimist. Thinks optimism comes with a price, though."

She believe this commander's need to be optimistic right now. Countless clones - _brothers_ of his - were killed.

"How much time do we have until the next wave?" asked Lea.

"It's quiet for about an hour interval before the next wave of Seps comes," whispered Drum. "Then Hell breaks out again."

"Captain Sidekick," said Grey hopefully. "Did he-"

Hero shook his head. "No. Sidekick, Blindside, Afterburner, they're bodies are still back in the barracks if you need proof."

Grey blinked, shaking his head absently. Almost as if in a daze, he kept walking towards the dry refuge from the rain.

Lea swallowed hard. "When was the last wave?"

Hero hesitated. "'Bout an hour ago."

Pluck, Beck, and Cuff each cocked his own pistol and was ready to shoot rounds at the next droid he saw.

"If we don't find the source," said Grey, "we're as good as dead meat. Where're they all coming from?"

Hero stomped a boot on the landing pad on which they stood. "Down here. All sides. No exceptions, perfect timing, perfect sync. No way out."

Grey rested his chin in his hand, frowning. "That could mean they're barnacling…"

Lea furrowed her brow. "Excuse me?"

"Barnacling," said Hero. "It's a tactic used on planets like Kamino. Transports grapple the elevation, allowing their troops a quiet and perfect surprise attack." He turned back to Grey. "That's exactly what the Seps are doing. They knew that Tipoca was too big to try and take again, and Orahu is a lovely victim. We can't contact Mistress Ti once they take the control and communications facility, which they took first, so we have no automatic way to help." He nodded to the three tagalongs. "They had a ship, so I had them leave for you quietly."

"You have hydro-troops?"

Hero motioned to the survivors. "They're all that's left."

Grey looked desperately at the door. "Do you have a way to the armory?"

The surviving commander shook his head. "We have nothing."

Lea's commander nodded slowly. "We need a plan."

The landing pad shook ferociously, and a wave of aqua droids crawled over all sides, chirping and making too much chatter to focus on one thing. Lea activated her lightsaber and shoto, Grey training his aim at the expansive queue of Separatist droids around him. The survivors hefted their own weapons, as did his trio of troopers.

"Can you make a plan while givin' them two?" grumbled Hero.


	3. Chapter 2: True Warrior

As Drum had said, all Hell broke free. Shots and charges sounded through the air around the circle of soldiers, each fighting tooth and claw for their lives. Hero proved himself as an expert in close range, his bowcaster ramming into any droid that came too close to him as he grappled it and dispatched it in point blank shots.

"To the facility!" shouted Grey, plowing an opening through their assailants towards the door of the white building.

"Grey, no!" screamed Lea, running after him.

She sensed a big surprise was lurking in there.

Cutting down the droids that attempted to take her commander's six, Lea grabbed him by the pauldron and jerked him back. The door, which his fingers were just stretched far enough to reach, flashed white hot as he rammed his fist into the entrance button. The sound of yet another explosion ensued, Grey and Lea both on the floor from her forceful contradiction.

"Thanks," he said simply, shooting down the next droid before getting up, his hand outstretched for hers.

"No problem," she answered, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Grey, look out! There's a-"

Hero didn't finish his sentence. He rolled onto the blinking charge, the explosion forcing him over the side of the pad. He screamed as he flailed into the tumultuous water around him.

"Hero!" Grey yelled over the heavy fire and rain. He ran to the side, not seeing the commander anywhere. "No!"

"Not today!" Pluck pulled an aqua droid away from his commander, shooting rounds into its head until it crumbled down in a dispatched heap. "Commander, General, we have a battle going on."

"Sorry." Grey shook his head, standing again. His gaze under his helmet didn't leave the side of the pad.

Lea felt pity and compassion for her commander as he turned his focus back to the fight. She sensed underneath the helmet, his focus wasn't actually there. Hero was a friend of his… a brother. His death shouldn't have been so unsung.

"Take 'em down!" yelled Jabberwocky, tossing his brother the Z/6 they carried as he took up two blaster pistols. The rotary cannon was very much helpful, dispatching dozens in ticks.

"Keep using it!" ordered Lea, chopping down more aqua droids. Her breath felt short and hasty, her head feeling faint.

"We're almost through," called Grey.

"This is for my brothers!" roared the Eastside, taking down the droids.

Everyone's heart's stopped when they heard the devastating sound of the blaster cannon's empty click.

No more charges.

Finding no alternative, the Eastside threw it into the middle of the crowd of droids, taking down a few. While evading charges, the gutsy soldier punched through the next batch.

"Let's round 'em up!" yelled Grey, blasting the aqua droids into the middle of the landing pad.

The party got the idea and did the same, the weaponless Eastside grunting as a charge made contact with his shoulder.

"Wait a minute," he gasped into the comm. "Wait, they're rounding me with them-" A scream followed as another soldier was shot in the heart of the roundup. "Stop!"

Grey held back, but the droids turned their attention from him and to the soldier in the middle. Shot after shot went off, but all they heard was the helpless screams of a falling soldier.

"Help!"

They couldn't get to him in time.

"The comm went off," breathed Pluck. "He's-"

"Dispatched," swallowed Grey, shooting again. "You take a life here, you'd better expect avengers!"

Lea felt it too. That boiling energy, the anger and loss… the rage. "Chew on this!" she screamed, slashing through the circle of droids.

That's when everything went silent.

The droids were no longer an issue. Scrap and piles of remnants scattered the pad, creating an even eerier scene. Lea closed her eyes and deactivated her lightsabers, watching Grey kneel next to the softly heaving body of their bravest soldier. He cradled Eastside carefully, removing his helmet.

They first received a pained cough.

"Hero…" the soldier gasped. "I did it for… Hero."

"Eastside," said Grey. "He would've appreciated it."

Eastside smiled slightly before his eyes went unfocused, closing thereafter. "Beat you," he whispered, a low exhale following.

The four others circled around him, their helmets removed.

"No, no, Eastside, stay with me." Grey shook him, tears levelling. "Come back, come back, Eastside."

Lea blinked, rubbing the tear that felt obligated to show itself away as she knelt with her commander.

" _Ilosha ess joshay helnorey enka mori'i viso,_ " she whispered over the body of the dead clone. /You are a true warrior in my eyes./

It was no lie.


	4. Chapter 3: Makeway

The surviving party moved quickly through the vacant facility, wary of booby traps and droids. If they could make it to the armory, it would be a miracle. So far, it was either that, or a big trap they were walking themselves into.

"We're down to nine," Lea said, counting off the survivors. "This won't be good."

"The comm tower's still out of commission," said Pluck, tapping his comlink in vain. "We're on our own."

"And the armory's in the barracks," Cock said, looking into the dark hall. "The Seps left there last wave."

"They've had this planned out," Grey grumbled. "Best to just find them and make ourselves open targets."

Lea sighed exasperatedly. "Stop being so pessimistic. We'll get out of here and get Orahu back to the Kaminoans."

Tailwind crossed his arms over his chest. "There's no time for optimism. We just let Hero- do that."

Everyone went silent.

Lea sucked in her lips. "We'll commemorate once we're out of here."

" _Once_?" Jabberwocky huffed. "You mean to say _if_."

"That's not true." She shook her head. "Stay positive, boys, we'll get Orahu City back and you'll keep your necks."

The party stalked through the facility, ears open for another trap.

"There." Beck pointed to the barracks door. "It's a walk in the park."

"It's not." Grey frowned. "It's not, don't go in there."

Tailwind shrugged and walked up to it. "There's nothing inside. Like said before, they left the barracks." He opened the door and motioned inside. "Nothing."

Lea and Grey shared glances, the Jedi shrugging. She followed the group inside.

He didn't know about her senses, but he felt a huge disaster was about to happen. He could see more soldiers dying in ticks.

He sighed and relented. Best go with them.

"The armory's down here," called Beck, motioning them on.

"I don't think going inside's a good idea, sir." Grey stopped at the door, staring at Lea uneasily.

She frowned. "It's not." The Jedi's eyes widened. "They're in the bunks!"

As their cover was blown, commando droids allowed the bunks to whoosh open, firing quickly at the troopers. They only had enough time to retaliate, but not all had their blasters out.

"Tailwind!" screamed Lea, dropping at the side of the dead trooper. "Take them _down_!"

"Shoot for their flanks!" ordered Grey, taking command. He set the example, a charge making one commando fly back, dispatched and unresponsive.

"You got it!" Beck tossed Jabberwocky a charge.

The private nodded and scaled the ladder to the bunks, throwing the bomb into one. He punched the master activation, each bunk swishing back into the walls. They all heard the satisfying, if not dulled, explosion. The closed bunk slid out of its place, falling to the barracks floor. The clones fought them with a practiced ease and a silent determination. One by one, the commandos were taken down.

"I don't want one more surprise," growled Grey, kicking a motionless droid.

Lea breathed heavily, looking back down at Tailwind. "We have to move on."

"The armory's not too far away, now," said Cock. "Just a couple more doors down."

Grey let out a shaky sigh of relief. He was so happy Lea couldn't see his face right now, which was the oddest mixture of, "Oh, Force, I thought I was gonna die back there!" and "We're all gonna die anyway! Our efforts are for nothing and will be unsung once we all die and no one will know!"

"Follow me." Lea took the lead, latching her sabers back on her belt.

"Your general's a fighter," grumbled Jabberwocky to Grey. "Nothing like her peacekeeping brethren, being Yamarani _and_ a Jedi."

"Tell me about it," scoffed Grey.

And yet, she interested him beyond belief. She was piquing his curiosity like none of his generals did. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not, but he certainly knew things about her that no one would have revealed for the life of them, like her life-saving midi-chlorian count.

He smiled. All of this was sure to dissipate someday.


	5. Chapter 4: Helnorey

"Here we are," exclaimed Cock, diving into the armory. "Hydro suits for all of us."

Lea stepped back, straining to look for something she had the ability to use. Nothing but an aqua-breather. Shrugging, she took the trinket from its shelving and clipped it to her belt.

The soldiers took the armor, quickly reassembling their original pieces and replacing them with the scuba gear.

"Now," said Grey, shoving on the aqua helmet, "we loosen those barnacles."

The team quietly and quickly retraced their steps to the outdoors, uneased by the silence of the facility.

"Used to be at least a little noisy," said Pluck, shrugging.

Drum let out a little laugh. "Until it came to target practice. Then no one could get a good night's sleep."

Lea laughed along with her soldiers. "I can imagine those Kaminoans going cross-eyed with you."

"It never failed," chuckled Jabberwocky.

Things went silent again.

"We're not so sure this'll work," said Cock, realizing the danger of the operation. "I mean, how much barnacling have those Seps done? We can collect at least a battalion of clankers we've taken down. They _have_ to have big guns down there."

Jabberwocky and Drum stopped, and Lea could sense their expressions of uncertainty in their own abilities. Pluck, Beck, and Cuff wavered, but nothing less than that. Grey was unsure, she could tell, but he stood next to her, on opposite lines of his uneasy brothers.

"You suddenly pussies?" the commander growled. "Man up and keep going."

The wouldn't move just yet.

Lea sighed. "I don't think that's the way to take care of this." She turned to their thinning troops. "Look, I know we're going in blind, but we'll either take back this city or die trying."

"And no one will know that someone was fighting back." Cock removed his helmet, letting out a sad sigh. "Sir, with all due respect, we're not asking to be celebrated, but anyone could deduce that none of us survived the heat of it. We'll just sink down there, unsung and unheard. The Seps have a wide doorway to this cloning facility, and frankly, that doesn't sound glorious to me."

She nodded. "I understand that, Cock. If it helps, I've heard of you. I should know of your bravery, because I'm there with you. Sure, it's easy to give up and surrender to them or stay in here, but we need to get this facility back. _You_ need to get this facility back. Your actions won't go unheard." Pausing, Lea went on. "There's a word in Yamarani. _Helnorey_. It means 'the virtuous and heartfelt fighter'. That's what each of you is." She placed a hand on Cock's heart, staring at him with an authority that made him stand at attention. "Cock, Jabberwocky, Drum, 618th, you're all _Helnorey'jaga_. Never forget it."

She motioned to the door and started walking again. Cock just watched, thoroughly impressed with her leadership and persuading talent. Jabberwocky and Drum shrugged and followed, Pluck, Beck, and Cuff walking at her side. Grey smiled and replaced his helmet on his head, following his general.

 _Helnorey,_ they all thought. _I'll never forget that._


	6. Chapter 5: Underwater Dive

"Ladies first," said Jabberwocky, looking over the side of the landing pad.

Lea scoffed, unclipping the aqua-breather from her belt. "Weakest forces last."

"Never mind then, General," he said lightheartedly, diving into the waters that surrounded them.

The Jedi put the device into her mouth and jumped lightly, the wind streaming across her face as she made contact with the water.

She was welcomed in with Jabberwocky's panicked screaming.

"Jabberwocky!" she screamed, activating her shoto. The blade illuminated the murky water, showing her a long, mechanized tendril dragging the clone down into the depths. However, the power shorted out from the water, and she was in the dark again.

Another tendril drove towards her, which she forced away before swimming back to the surface. She removed the breather from her mouth and shouted as loud as she could, "Jabberwocky's down! There's something down here!"

The storm ripped her words away as she said them, disappearing next to the dominating winds. She saw the silhouettes of her troops diving in, her heart skipping a beat. "No-go! No-go!"

They couldn't hear her.

Panicking, Lea dove again, seeing Grey caught up with a tendril himself. He shot charge after charge at the monstrous tentacle, finally freeing himself. The clones shot far beyond what they could see, targeting the source. Lea did as well, diving deeper and deeper. She evaded the surging tentacles and her men's blasterfire, relying on the light from their weapons. She saw the seams of the robotic creature, almost smiling when she touched it. She activated her lightsaber as well, driving each into the colossal creature. A metal groan was her result, the tentacles loosening until they fell lifelessly into the ocean. Her lightsaber shorted out as well.

"Did we do that?" asked Cuff over the comm.

Drum shrugged and dove into the black, followed by Cock and the trio.

"It's not finished yet," said Lea. "There's still the barnacling to find. My weapons are rendered useless underwater, but the guns that came with your hydro-suits should do the trick."

The group swam over to the stilts underneath the city, surprised at the huge hydro-transports latched onto the rods. Their squid-like shape created an ominous feeling inside each of the clones.

"Today's a good day to die," sighed Cock. "Let's take 'em down!"

"Swim through and shoot at the harpoon dockers," ordered Grey, diving into the stilts. Drum, Cock, Pluck, Cuff, and finally Beck followed him.

Lea squinted as she swam through the water, using the Force to dislodge the dockers.

"Time to use that experience under Quay Tom-go," she said through the comlink.

"What experience?" asked Beck. "We've only been under him for what? A lunar rotation?"

"Shut up," growled Grey, returning to his job.

Lea frowned. Didn't he say two years?

Shaking it off as a misinterpretation, she dove and Forced off as many dockers as she could.

"Oh, no," said Cuff into the comlink. "We've got company!"

 _Aqua-droids,_ she thought. _Shuc._

Blasts erupted from the water droids and Lea felt like a coward. With nothing to defend herself, she evaded each charge and swam towards Grey.

"I'm useless down here," she mumbled.

Her commander hardly made a sound as he shot down the droids expertly. "Perhaps not, General. We'll draw their fire from you as you dislodge the last of the dockers."

She nodded and dove quickly through the waters and used the Force to throw the dockers into the sea. Cock sent her a thumb's up and got the picture that Grey proposed, covering her back as she swam through the stilts of the city.

"Advance this way!" she called, motioning to the cover of the cleared stilts.

The clones obeyed and tore through the churning water, but Drum lagged behind. An aqua-droid shot him down and his body floated down with the rest of the debris.

"Drum!" Cock yelled, catching his brother's hand and pulling him back. "You'll be okay. Stay with me."

"We can't have delays," called Grey. "Cock, you in or out?"

A shot and a scream answered his question as Drum's body sunk into the sea. Cock held his stomach and retreated, hardly having a grip on his gun.

Grey hardly had time to react.

"Pluck, get Cock out of here!" he roared. "Beck, Cuff, protect the general!"

"Yes, sir!" all three said and Pluck took Cock back to the surface.

"We can take these tinnies," gasped Lea as she glided through the water to the next docker. "It's only a battalion, boys!"

Beck and Cuff took the front lines as Grey took his general's back.

"Last one!" declared Lea as she Forced back the very last docker and watched the source of the droids fall with the rest of them down and out of sight.

"And that's the last tinny," said Cuff, watching the lifeless droids sink. "Done. Orahu's back in Kaminoan control."

Grey sighed. "At the cost of all those men," he said. "Come on. Let's check on Cock."

They swam back to sea level and Pluck sent them a line, hoisting each one back onto the landing pad.

"He's not doing so well," reported Pluck, kneeling next to Cock, who was lain by the wall of the facility. "I'm no Redline, but I have to say his hours are numbered."

Cock winced and gasped heavily, his eyes darting wildly as he struggled to live.

"Cock," breathed Lea, touching his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

He clutched her hand and looked into her eyes worriedly. "I'm still- still a _helnorey_ , right?"

She smiled and nodded. " _Adorhan alashi_ ," she said. /Forever and always./

He cracked a small and weak grin. "I'll bet that meant yes," he panted. "Helnorey… I like it. Good name."

His eyes fluttered closed and his head slid down onto Lea's shoulder as he drew out a last breath.

Lea blinked away tears and laid him down, standing with Grey, who removed his helmet out of respect. His troops repeated the action.

" _Ilosha ess joshay helnorey enka mori'i viso,_ " she said again.

Grey mumbled the same words, hoping he said them correctly. By the way she said it, he knew what it meant; it was a remembrance.

"That to you, Hero," he whispered.

"We'll send a signal to Master Shaak Ti," said Lea, looking up at her commander. "They'll pick us up and I'll make sure all of you get a little R&R, okay?"

Pluck smiled weakly. "Ditto."


	7. Epilogue: R&R

And rest and relaxation they got. The legion was put on hold and Lea was relieved. She needed time off. The group of unheard warriors spent their first night on break in Coruscant, and Lea agreed to pay a visit to 79's, which she personally decided not to go to again, but politely stayed with the clones for the stories.

Pluck, Beck, and Cuff mingled easily with their brothers, disappearing from her sight, but she could deduce this; prow and bolo-ball.

Looking around the jam-packed clone bar, she spotted a certain purple-clad soldier swishing his drink in its cup as he stared into space. He was alone in the booth, and she could imagine he liked it that way.

Too bad. He would have to deal with her.

Sliding in across from Grey, she stared back. The commander blinked out of his daze and looked at her, sipping his prow.

"Here for a drink?" he asked jokingly, though he knew she wouldn't. He read the Columns of Yamaran, which included sobriety.

She shook her head. "Here for a talk."

He nodded and listened.

"Cuff said something that I couldn't grasp," she said. "Did you or did you not serve two years under General Quay Tom-Go?"

Grey looked uneasy. "Um, I did serve two years in the Army," he answered. "Not all under him."

"Why did you say two years then?" she asked, leaning in closer to him.

"Because that's what I tell myself," he grumbled, swishing his drink in the cup. "If I said I served under him for the truthful lunar rotation before he died, would that sound like I'm as seasoned as I am?"

Lea shook her head. "What did you do beforehand?"

"I was always a commander," he said. "Just… I was reassigned each time in at least a week. Some say I'm a bad luck charm, getting my generals killed."

The Jedi frowned. "What?"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I've never been under one general for more than a lunar rotation before he or she gets killed saving me. I've told myself not to grow attached to any of my generals, so… yeah."

Lea smiled. "Well, good thing for you, I'm far from believing in bad luck. I think you're a wonderful commander, and I'm not going anywhere."

Grey smirked playfully. "Watch out. You might jinx it."

She laughed a little, Grey joining in.

It might have been the moment, it might have been the relief that they were alive, it might have been anything, but the commander leaned over and kissed her. He pulled back, eyes wide as he realized what he just did.

Lea just stared at him, no emotion on her face.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "I, um, that was-"

She smiled and laughed again. "You didn't do it long enough."

He frowned. "Excuse me?"

Lea leaned in. "You didn't do it long enough," she repeated. "Try it again."

He obeyed. Gently, he kissed her again, and she stayed there longer, her eyes fluttering closed.

So this was what it was like to be in love.

Grey had a problem. He knew that it wasn't bad luck, but still, he knew he would lose her. He couldn't simply let his stubbornness turn into attachment. And yet, the stubbornness to keep her alive turned into attachment, which made him fall deeply in love with her.

Lea loved how he tucked her hair behind her ear and held her as he kissed her. She knew she would be in a butload of trouble if anyone saw them kissing, as she was a Jedi and he was her clone commander, but she knew she could handle an attachment. She could handle everything when she had Grey on her side.

Things would be perfect.


End file.
